Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marana, Arizona 85743
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 6:45 MST

The balloon collided with boulders located atop a hill, fatally injuring a passenger. After a normal departure on the for-hire sightseeing flight, the pilot transferred control authority to a crewmember who held a private pilot certificate. The purpose of the control transfer was to help the crewmember obtain more practice hours and log pilot-in-command time. He was additionally receiving instruction from the commercial pilot. As the balloon approached rising terrain the crewmember continued the ascent up to about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot said the balloon began a gradual descent and the crewmember reacted by manipulating all the burners to produce maximum lift. The balloon's basket impacted a boulder on the peak of the hill and bounced upward. The balloon again collided with another boulder and subsequently became airborne, clearing the peak of the hill. After maneuvering the balloon over power lines, the pilot landed. A passenger reported that the balloon continued to gain altitude continuously as it proceeded toward the mountain. In the cumulative 2 minutes prior to impact, the passenger noted that the balloon did not appear to increase in altitude, and he assumed that the pilot was going to attempt to maneuver around the approaching peak. He stated that during the flight's duration only one burner was operating at a given time, with the exception of just seconds before the impact when the pilot instructed the other crewmember to "turn on both burners." The passenger said that the two burners appeared to be operating. He added that the balloon's altitude never appeared to reach higher than the top of the hill, and the flight path consisted of a continuous accent up the mountain. Safety Board investigators reviewed an atmospheric sounding of the area around the time of the accident. The data did not support any thermals and no clear air turbulence was identified at the accident altitudes. The wind profile indicated calm surface winds, defined as below 10 knots. No defined mountain wave pattern was identified. A post accident examination of the balloon found no anomalies or discrepancies with the envelope, basket, or burners. Regulations restrict private pilots from being pilot-in-command during commercial operations with fare-paying passengers; however, a private pilot can be the pilot-in-command if a commercial pilot is providing instruction.

the failure of the flying pilot to attain a proper climb rate and maintain an adequate clearance from rising terrain. Also causal was the commercial pilot's inadequate supervision of the flight and his delayed remedial action.